The lead administration for the Misuse of Substances work sector is the Irish Government.

Tackling the misuse of drugs is an ongoing challenge for all British-Irish Council Member Administrations. Heads of Administrations decided on the inclusion of Misuse of Drugs as a topic at their inaugural summit in December 1999, with the Irish Government as the lead administration. Since then, the challenges and the drugs being misused continue to evolve.

At the Ministerial meeting held in September 2017, the Council’s members met in Cardiff to consider a report on 'Drugs Strategies and Policy Developments'. Discussions focused on key developments in the drugs strategies of Member Administrations in the past three years as well as changing trends.

The Misuse of Substances work sector endeavours to cover a wide range of issues concerned with drug and alcohol misuse in its annual work programme. Meetings are regularly attended by professionals and academics in the relevant field which greatly adds to the discussion. The ongoing regular contact between BIC Member Administrations on a range of drug and alcohol related issues, has contributed to broader co-operation and exchange of information across the BIC area.

The Council Summit hosted by the Irish Government in June 2015 focused on the use and misuse of alcohol.